Mirrored Jewels
by GizibeUnnie
Summary: Upon Kikyou's death, Kaede cursed the sacred jewel causing it to split into two. Now with two mirrored jewels one yin and the other yang, how will the feudal era cope with the twin avatars of the sacred jewel? One the entitiy of youkai and the other the reincarnation of two historic mikos. Pairings not decided. Kagome/? OC/?
1. Prologue

"Die Inuyasha!" a heart broken miko screamed as she shot her holy arrow into the heart of her lover. Her aim struck true and the hanyou, Inuyasha, was pinned to the goshinboku. Forever more would he hang pinned upon the sacred tree until she would release him, but her life was surely ending and quickly. With her demise hastening in its wake she fell to the ground heavily.

"Onee-sama!" a young girl called out to her older sister. Kaede rushed to the miko's side and fought back her tears. Her sister was badly wounded and it pained her to see her this way.

"Listen well, Kaede, take this jewel and see to it that it is burned with my remains." Kikyou said to her younger sister sternly. Her determined eyes acknowledging that she knew she would die. She refused to let the jewel that had caused so much heart ache and death to outlive her.

Her stare penetrated Kaede's one good eye and she begrudgingly accepted the jewel into her bloodied hands. With a nod Kaede agreed to burn the jewel with her sister's remains. A lone tear made its way down Kikyou's cheek as she let out a small sigh of relief. Allowing herself to succumb to the darkness, she felt the strength leaving her body. With one last breath her body fell limp against the arms of her sister.

'I will take this jewel with me to the next life'

Funeral preparations were made immediately and the somber air over the village grew with every tear and cry. The villagers were weeping for their loss of the young miko. Her kind heart which had grown room for a hanyou had led to her downfall. But, Kaede disagreed with them. Her heart was full of sorrow and slowly stirred a cold fury within her small body.

"Curse the jewel and all it has given us! Nothing but pain and sorrow follow its miserable existence across the plains of the worlds. Midoriko hath cursed humanity with her last stand... Midoriko's folly! Had they all died and their souls moved on to the next life, then my sister wouldn't have had to become its protector. Protect yourself! Move onto your next lives you accursed jewel! May you all rest in peace and never bring sorrow to this plain again. So I wish it, so mote it be! In the name of Kami, so mote it be!" Kaede screamed to the heavens.

Thunder cracked in the clouds, and the sky drew dark with melancholy and malevolence. Burning with the body of Kikyou, the jewel angrily split in half. The souls within the jewel were gathered by the shinigami just as he had collected the soul of the recently passed miko. Into the folds of time the shinigami traveled, the wish unknowingly made upon the jewel coming into being.

The shinigami settled upon the home of a holy daughter. Her blood was filled with the sacrifice of many holy generations of miko and monks. Seeing that it was good, the Shinigami entered the house and laid the souls upon the womb of the woman. Slowly, the souls of Midoriko and Kikyou merged to form a holy light and the souls of the youkai grew heavy with unified power. Sinking into her skin they settled in her womb and into a single fertilized egg. The egg filled with intense energies could not remain as one, and so the egg split into two. With that, there was a Yin and a Yang, two spirits fated to balance out the plains of life; they were the avatars of the Shikon no Tama.


	2. Chapter 1: Down the Rabbit Hole

**Tokyo 1997**

"The Shikon Jewel..?" Kagome poked around at a trinket that looked like a pink marble.

"Yes, as long as ones family is in possession of the jewel, prosperity and good fortune are sure to follow them in life," her grandfather smiled proudly as he held up the marble keychain to show off its 'unique' features. He settled down to sit and tell her the legend of the Shikon no Tama, but before he could even let a word out Kagome interrupted him.

"Hey, Gramps, do you know what day tomorrow is?" Kagome asked trying to change the subject and save herself from boredom.

Her grandfather looked at her reproachfully and sighed.

"Yes, of course I know. Could I ever forget the birthday of my adorable granddaughters? Where is your sister anyway? I haven't seen her since she left for her lessons at the dojo yesterday." Gramps looked around confused before he handed Kagome a small well wrapped box. It had a big pink bow and a small card that read: "To Kagome, from your beloved grandfather. Happy Birthday!"

"I don't know, Gramps. She hasn't been going to school lately either. Yuka's older sister said that Nadeshiko only shows up to school when they have an exam or a kendo meeting. It's a mystery how she still keeps the top score in the district!" Kagome said exasperated while she busied herself unwrapping her gift.

Gramps rubbed his chin sighing deeply. The creases on his forehead crinkled more and his frown made Kagome regret pointing out her sister's latest activities.

"I don't know what to do with that child. She's such a smart girl. A certified genius, but she just will not behave. The nail that sticks up will be pushed back down, but she doesn't seem to care at all. The only good things that immediately come to my mind about Nadeshiko are her impeccable grades, her good manners, and her skills at martial arts and swordsmanship."

"If she wasn't so pretty, I don't know what kind of guy would like her. She is too cold. She takes after your father's side, I tell you! Those cold hearted Chinese!" her grandfather harrumphed and laid back annoyed.

"Gramps… You shouldn't say that about the Chinese. I am Chinese! And I'm sure Onee-san is just having a difficult time or something. She must have a good reason." Kagome tried to rationalize with her grandfather.

"Bah! You are only half Chinese! Kagome, it is times like these that I am so proud that you took after your mother's kindness. You are just as gentle and caring as my daughter; as gentle as your grandmother" his eyes looked out into memories fondly.

Kagome looked at her hands that had paused in unwrapping her gift. She sat silently thinking about what her grandfather said and wondering again why she and her sister were so different. She was sporty and preppy, and her sister was scholarly and antisocial. Kagome was creamy and had deep blue eyes, while Nadeshiko was a pale as snow and her eyes as cold as ice. Nadeshiko hardly talked unless spoken to, but Kagome had a way of making people _want_ to talk to her. Nadeshiko was the epitome of the picture perfect princess, but her coldness made her ugly. The beauty that was on the outside could not cover up the coldness that was on the inside, which was probably why Kagome could confidently state that she was more popular and liked than her twin. Matching faces did not mean matching personalities no matter how alike they looked.

"Oi, hurry up and open your gift. You've been staring at your fingers for five minutes now! What? You have a wart or something?" her grandfather said in mock concern.

Kagome huffed and ripped open the package. She sweat dropped as she looked at the contents.

"What is this?" she asked in disgust.

"That is a genuine mummified hand of a Kappa water spirit!" her grandfather boasted proudly.

Kagome resisted the urge to gag and tossed the hand to Buyo, her cat.

"Here, Buyo! Lunch!"

She ignored her grandfather screaming about how expensive the hand was and went to go get ready for school. She had things to do and places to be before tomorrow came.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Higurashi-tan!" a high pitched voice rang out.

A girl with long black hair and pale white skin sighed to herself as she put her katana into its wooden sheath. It was designed to look like a wooden sword so that she could walk around freely without getting into trouble with the law, not that she didn't already go out of her way to avoid the law, but it didn't hurt to be cautious.

"Un." Nadeshiko replied with her icy blue eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Papa said that since you are such a good master that he could help you find a job as a body guard if you wanted. You are so cool, Nadeshiko-tan! I want to be just like you when I grow up" the annoyance screeched annoyingly. Her bleached brown hair bounced up and down in her two pigtails, and her glasses fogged up with whatever she was over actively imagining about.

The girl's name was Aiko, and she was the granddaughter of a Yakuza boss, though you would never get her to admit to that openly. At the age of twelve she had developed an unhealthy obsession with Nadeshiko and took to stalking her and confessing her love about once every week. She wasn't much to look at. Her brown eyes were plain and so was her face. Even her body was unfascinating, though that could be attributed to the fact that she had barely even hit puberty yet.

"Arigatou, Aiko-san, but I have other obligations. My high school does not even allow jobs." Nadeshiko let her down lightly with a lie as she stepped into the shower room of the dojo and began undoing her hakama and haori.

Aiko's nose bled with her perverted delight and she trailed behind Nadeshiko like a lost puppy.

"Ano, I do not mean to sound rude, Aiko-san, but I wish to take my shower in peace" Nadeshiko sweat dropped while covering her shapely breasts modestly.

Tears formed in the girls eyes and she nodded her head understandingly. She just really wanted to bask in the beauty of Nadeshiko in all her nude glory. Was that so much to ask? Crying like the brat she was, she ran from the room with blood still dripping down her nose.

"I only leave because I love you! One of these days you will let me watch you as you bathe, my sweet goddess!"

Listening for the sound of the door closing and her far away footsteps, Nadeshiko turned on the shower. Steam filled the room and elicited a sigh of relief from the petite woman. A small smile made its way onto her lips as she enjoyed the hot water rolling off of her sore body.

"I've been training myself too hard again, haven't I?" she asked herself as she rolled her shoulders trying to get rid of the tight feeling in her muscles.

She had been practicing the art of the sword for years now. The day her father died when she was six, she vowed that she would always be strong enough to fight her own battles since her papa wasn't there to protect her anymore. He had gotten hit by a drunk driver on the way home from work, and she hadn't seen him since. The casket had to be closed during the funeral because there was such extensive damage to his face.

The last memories she had of her father were of him comforting her after being bullied in the park. She had been small and weak then. Kagome had tried to get the boys to stop bullying her sister, but in the end she wasn't big enough either and she had had to run to get their father. Her father was her savior back then. He was tall and handsome with black hair and gorgeous green eyes. Green eyes were very rare in people, let alone a Chinese man. In her eyes, no one could amount to her father. He was the only one who would protect her and Kagome, and now it was her turn. If her dad couldn't do it, then she would. She would be strong, and no one would ever bully her again.

"I am the top scoring student in my district, a three time annual award winning kenjustu prodigy, and one of the most beautiful girls at my school. I will settle for nothing but the best. I… am the best." Her eyes set themselves hard on her tightly balled fists. Her determination rolled off of her in waves, but still a simple doubt filled her mind.

'But am I really?'

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0**

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! __**SMASH!**_ Kagome slapped her hand down on the alarm clock sitting next to her bed. Groggily she kicked her covers off of her and rolled onto the floor.

"I hate my life…" she groaned in annoyance.

A furry tail swatted her in the face with a low meow. Curiously, the overweight cat sat staring at her. With another groan, Kagome ignored him, lazily rolling onto her back. A quick glance at the calendar, though, changed her mood.

"Today is the day, Buyo!" Kagome jumped up smiling widely to her cat.

She happily donned her green and white sailor fuku and twirled in the mirror. Her eyes were carefully lined and her lips covered in a light shade of strawberry lip gloss. She felt like she could take over the world, but she kept that to herself since the world had a way of biting her in the butt.

"Can you believe it, Buyo! I'm fifteen! Isn't that exciting?! Next year I will start high school and Onee-san will be starting university. Time really does fly, huh?" she asked almost losing the sense of her happiness at the mention of her twin's success.

Buyo tilted his head and meowed.

"No, I am not jealous! It's just… I don't know, Buyo. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I didn't have a twin. It's like I'm in her shadow all the time, and I just want to shine and be a bright light that everyone will see, you know?"

Buyo yawned stretching and bounced off of her bed. His tail sashayed behind him as he turned to look at her. He stared at her for a minute and let out a saucy meow before sauntering down the stairs for breakfast.

"Fine, be that way! Who needs you anyway?" Kagome yelled down to the cat before grabbing her bag and frowning.

"I hate that you're always right.." she whispered to herself.

COFF COFF

Kagome turned as someone knocked on her door. It was her sister. Like usual she didn't bother to put her school uniform on. Instead, she preferred to wear furisode. Today's attire consisted of a pale cream juban with a light green furisode with white sakura petals flying every. Her obi was a light purple which matched nicely with the outfit.

"Talking to yourself now?" Nadeshiko smirked at her sister's embarrassment.

"Maybe I am! Even if I was it's none of your business. You don't see me commenting on your daily choice of outfit." Kagome stuck out her tongue childishly.

"My dearest sister, I am but a humble lady, and as such I dress accordingly. If you are so jealous of my clothes all you have to do is ask to borrow some or do what I do. Find work, though I must admit it is under the table, and save up to buy your own. Besides, I prefer traditional clothing. It suits my looks much better than modern rags." Nadeshiko smiled wickedly at her sister.

"Lady my butt! I bet you don't even know the tea ceremony or any other traditional arts." Kagome scoffed throwing her bag over her shoulder.

"Do not presume to know me. While you are off gallivanting around Tokyo like a simpleton, I have been studying calligraphy, flower arranging, martial arts, kenjustu, and dance since we turned eleven. Unlike you, I took some initiative to better myself." Nadeshiko scowled.

"Well sorry! Some people actually have to go to school every day and do homework to pass their classes. We can't all be geniuses like you are!" Kagome yelled angrily and stomped down the stairs.

Nadeshiko frowned and followed her sister down the stairs.

"Ohayou minna-san!" Kagome faked cheeriness and plopped down next to Souta.

"What's up with you? You look like a troll doll." Souta teased poking at Kagome's cheek affectionately.

"Ohayou, okaa-san. I hope that you slept well last night." Nadeshiko smiled politely towards her mother and sat down gracefully across from Kagome.

"I did, thank you Na-chan. I made fried eggs, rice, and American sausage for breakfast today. Oh, and before I forget! Happy Birthday you two!" their mother smiled and pulled two small boxes from behind the microwave.

"Why do you always hide their gifts, Mama?" Souta asked curiously.

His mother smiled warmly and handed the gifts to her daughters.

"Because, when Nadeshiko and Kagome were very little they used to hunt them down and open them before their birthday came and then on their birthday they would cry about not getting gifts."

Nadeshiko blushed and Kagome smiled nervously.

"I… uh… don't remember that." Kagome chuckled nervously.

"Well, I'm not surprised you don't. This was from before Souta was born. In fact, your dad is the one that started the tradition of hiding your presents."

Kagome looked surprised and Nadeshiko frowned.

"I don't… remember that." Nadeshiko mumbled sadly.

Their mother sighed and set the plates on the table.

"It was a long time ago. Just open your presents and eat up! You have school today, remember?"

Kagome tore into her present and squealed.

"The new Princess perfume set! Thank you Mom! You always know exactly what to get me." Kagome smiled happily and kissed her mom on the cheek.

Nadeshiko slowly unwrapped hers, careful not to tear any of the paper. She smiled gently and laughed.

"Arigatou, Okaa-san. It is beautiful." Nadeshiko fingered her new hair traditionally styled jade hair comb. It was the perfect accessory for her hair.

"Want me to put it in for you?" her mother asked.

"Yes, please…" she blushed shyly.

Gently her mother pulled her hair up and placed the comb in. She thought her daughter really looked like a princess. She never picked favourites when it came to her daughters, but they were just beautiful in different ways. It just so happened that she thought Nadeshiko was gorgeous. Kagome was too, but Kagome wasn't as porcelain a doll as her sister. She would probably be offended at being called one even if she did look like one. What harm was it to want to spoil her daughter when her daughter loved being a doll anyway?

"There! Just like a Lady."

"Thank you Okaa-san.." Nadeshiko smiled lightly.

Kagome smiled as well, but felt a bit jealous. She wanted to be called beautiful too.

"Now, why don't you both finish up your food and head to school, okay? I need to go buy groceries for tonight's dinner."

With that their mother swept out of the kitchen and left the house. Kagome sighed and finished her breakfast hastily and went to put her shoes on. The sounds of her grandfather clearing his throat turned the elder of the twin's attention to him. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be in thought.

"Yes, grandpa?" Nadeshiko asked politely.

"It has come to my attention that you have not been going to school like you should be. I just want you to know that this is not pleasing, Nadeshiko. I love you, but sometimes I don't know what to do with you. You look like such a beautiful young lady, but under your beauty is a heart of ice and the claws of a tiger. I would like to blame it on your father, but I know that he was a good man. Which leads me to wonder, why are you like this? Don't you care for your family?" he asked sullenly.

Nadeshiko slouched down in her chair not wanting to look him in the face. She felt ashamed of her behavior, but knew she probably wouldn't do anything to change it. She had to train. She still had top marks so it didn't matter if she went to school. Universities still had their eyes on her.

"I'm sorry, grandpa, but I have so many things to do, and I keep getting this feeling like I don't have enough time between now and when I will have to be ready. Whether it's ready to fight or ready to be the Queen of Siam I don't know, but I know in my soul that I will be wasting my time if I were to abandon my other studies." Her voice stayed soft regardless of the defiance she felt she needed to express.

He nodded and sighed heavily expecting her answer to some extent. She was just like him when he was younger, but he could keep on blaming it on her father. Besides, it's not like anyone knew what he was like when he was young besides his dead wife, and the Chinese were easy to blame.

"Well, then I will not make you stop, but I will ask that you be careful. You are a beautiful young woman, and I would hate for you to get hurt because of your own hubris. With that said, I have your birthday present right here." He smiled pulling a delicate cloth bag from behind him on the floor. It was made from silk and closed tightly by its two golden draw strings which were tied into a bow.

"Inside is a dagger and some healing ointments. I figured that if you should ever get hurt that it would be a good idea to have something to fix your minor injuries. It has bruise and burn salve, dried ginger for stomach aches, and antibiotics for minor cuts and scrapes. Everything for my little fighter."

Nadeshiko chuckled and thanked her grandfather profusely for the thoughtful gifts. In a way it was more suited for her than the comb her mother had bought her, but she still treasured both gifts. Tucking the small bag into her obi she rose from the table.

"Thank you, grandpa, but I must take my leave now. I will see you later." She bowed prettily.

She slipped on her white tabi boots and closed the screen door behind her before securing her sword onto her side.

"He's somewhere down there!" Souta said loudly.

"Then get him out of there." Kagome talked down to Souta.

Curiously Nadeshiko walked towards the mini shrine stopping just outside the door.

"Doesn't this place just give you the creeps?" Souta asked Kagome.

"You know that you are not permitted to be in here, right?" Nadeshiko stated more than asked as she walked down the steps and stood next to her twin.

The wood on the inside was rotting and covered in dirt. The whole shrine smelt unpleasantly of dust and mold. If it were not for the sunlight coming in from the doorway, it could even be described as hauntingly foreboding.

"Yeah, but Buyo came down here and we can't find him!" Souta said worriedly.

_Kch.. Kch.. Kch.._

"Hey, that sounds like it's coming from down there." Kagome said walking down further to the well.

Nadeshiko followed. The sound.. It didn't sound right, and the air didn't feel right. The air was growing heavy with a smell of decay.

"Something is wrong." She whispered into her sister's ear.

"What are you talking ab- EEK!" she screamed clinging unceremoniously to her sister.

"Don't yell like that you scared me!" Souta cried out holding his hand to his chest.

"You little.." Kagome started.

Krik….. the wood covering on the well moved.

"Kagome!" Souta yelled as his sister was grabbed by a woman with six arms.

"Help!" Kagome screamed out reaching for her sister.

Nadeshiko leapt towards her sister desperately grabbing onto her arm. Together they screamed as they were dragged down the Bone Eaters well and into darkness.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

'No, this can't be real' Kagome's thoughts reeled.

'Kuso.. This thing is definitely not human' Nadeshiko cussed under her breath as they were being pulled into a glowing light by the woman with six arms. Her lower body was not human. It was like that of an incomplete centipede. Half of the centipede like body was cut off and there were vertebrae growing out from her rotted flesh.

"Oh my, what strength I feel! What joy!" the centipede woman marveled.

"Let me go!" Kagome cried thrusting her hand at the woman as a bright light encompassed it. The woman's arm was blasted off and the woman began falling again into the darkness.

"No! I will not lose it now! The Shikon no Tama!" she reached back up to Kagome.

"Die Teme!" Nadeshiko pulled Kagome behind her and held out her hand to the woman to push her back as a green substance sprayed out of her hands and covered the woman burning off another arm and her shoulder.

"Noo!" they heard her fading screams as they landed on a pile of dirt.

The light surrounding them faded and the sounds of birds chirping filled the air. Above them was the blue sky and white billowy clouds. Around them were the stone walls of the well.

'I'm in the well? Was that all just a dream?' Kagome asked herself.

She turned to look at her sister who stood calmly examining her hand. The last drop of green acid fell from her hand and into the dirt beneath her. A small sizzling sound could be heard as the acid slowly ate the earth until there was nothing but a baseball sized hole in the ground.

'I guess not..' she shivered as she saw a severed arm laying on the ground next to her.

"_I won't lose it now… the Shikon no Tama"_

"What did gramps say about the jewel again?" Kagome pondered silently.

"The Shikon no Tama… The Jewel of Four Souls… It was created by a powerful miko named Midoriko. Inside the jewel are the souls of the demons and Midoriko as they are locked in intense battle for the remainder of time. But legend has it that those that hold the jewel shall come unto riches untold and have good fortune." Nadeshiko answered while thinking.

Kagome looked at her sister and shrugged. Looking up to the opening of the well she furrowed her brows at the blue sky.

"Souta! Are you there?" she called out.

Nadeshiko sighed and grabbed onto the wall preparing to climb.

"Save your breath, we're obviously not home anymore. The well house isn't there. I don't know where we are."

Angrily Kagome huffed and climbed up the well following after her sister.

"Oh dear…." Nadeshiko sucked in a breath as she took in the surroundings.

"Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore." Kagome exclaimed.

'Where are we?' the ice princess scowled.

"The God Tree! We can find our way home from there! Come on!" Kagome yelled as she started running anxiously to the location of the tree.

Annoyed but feeling obligated to look after her sister, she took off in pursuit. They were surrounded by trees and bushes. There was way too much greenery to be home, and the air smelt too clean.

"Kagome! There's no point! We're not-" she stopped short.

"Woah…" Kagome gasped pointing to a boy hanging from the tree.

He was clothed in red hakama and haori and his long silver hair swayed gently in the wind. No marks of stress marred his face and in fact he looked heavenly, though there was one thing wrong. He had dog ears.

"Awww.. he's so cute! I wanna play with his ears!" Kagome giggled as she climbed the roots of the tree and stood next to him examining his face.

"Kagome! What do you think you're doing? He's not even human. He could be like that centipede thing we just met for all we know!" Nadeshiko yelled in exasperation.

"Come on, I know it's not the time or place, but I really just- GYAH!"

She screamed as arrows dug into the bark of the tree around her.

"This land is forbidden! Be you a stranger?!" a man's voice rang out.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

"I should kill you right now" Nadeshiko cursed to her sister in their father's native language.

"Dui bu qi…" Kagome replied laughing nervously.

"Kaede-sama, we found ye a lass in the queerest of rags and lady with the same face. Mighty odd twins I tell you," the man who shot the arrows informed the old one-eyed priestess.

"Aye, or a face stealer!" another man cried out in fear.

"Oi! You didn't have to hog tie me!" Kagome hissed angrily.

"I bet she's one of 'em kistune trying to look like the lady" a woman with a baby tied to her back gossiped.

'Impossible… We're in-'

'the Sengoku period!' the twins thoughts merged.

They looked to each other and blinked in confusion.

"That didn't just happen.." Kagome whispered to herself.

"Who are ye and why were ye in the forest of Inuyasha?" an old crone asked. She was dressed in the clothes of a shrine maiden and carried a bow and quiver of arrows upon her back.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we had just lost our way and were looking for our way home." Nadeshiko answered the woman's question while trying to sound polite.

"The weirdos just keep getting weirder.." Kagome muttered rudely.

"Let me see your face. Trying to look like a clever one, are you? Your image though… my elder sister Kikyou's…"

The looks on the girls faces were mixed with confusion as they both remarked, "Who?"

They were transferred to Kaede's hut where she prepared stew and as they sat they looked at each other wondering what was going on.

"My elder sister Kikyou.." Kaede started.

"She was the protector of this village and the Shikon no Tama. She died when I was a young child after defeating the demon that tried to steal the jewel and mortally wounded her. He is the hanyou, Inuyasha, that is pinned in the forest." Kaede finished her story setting the food out for the girls to eat.

"He is the one the forest is named after?" Nadeshiko asked.

The old woman responded with a nod and dug into her food.

"Are ye not hungry?"

"Ano… We're still tied up!" Kagome chuckled holding her hands out to show Kaede.

Kaede blushed embarrassed at her short memory and cut them loose. They ate peacefully in silence until a commotion could be heard outside the hut. Kagome got up to check out the noise when a large crash was heard just outside the door.

"Aagh! It's a horse! Something killed it!" Kagome cried running back in the hut.

Nadeshiko stood and helped the old miko up. Kaede gathered her things hurriedly and rushed out the hut. Pulling her sister out with her, Nadeshiko joined the priestess's side.

"It's the centipede demon!" Kagome yelled.

"Un…" Nadeshiko nodded grounding herself firmly and laying her hand gently on her sword.

"The jewel! Give me the Shikon no Tama!" the centipede growled hungrily as she lunged for Kagome.

"Move!" Nadeshiko pushed Kagome to the ground and blocked the youkai's teeth with her sword slicing through her mouth.

"Why so serious?" she asked coldly readying herself for the next attack.

"You little witch! DIE!" the centipede flew at her, but deftly she dodged to the side avoiding her maws.

"If you truly have the jewel, then you must lead her away from here. If we could get her to the Bone Eater Well then sealing her would become much easier." Kaede explained to Kagome.

"Kagome, run!" she ordered to her younger sister as she charged the centipede demon.

"I know that! But where?!" Kagome yelled back.

"Towards the forest of Inuyasha! Go child!" the old woman notched an arrow and directed Kagome towards the well.

"That's easy! Towards that glowing light!" she smiled.

Kagome nodded farewell and sprinted into the forest saying a silent prayer that her sister will be alright.

Stunned Kaede watched her disappear into the forest. Her face betrayed her shock that the girl could see the evil aura of Inuyasha's forest.

'Someone will save me right? Mama.. Grandpa.. Somebody! Anybody! Help me!' Kagome's emotions peeked sending out a spike of reiki.

Within the forest the long dead ears of a hanyou twitched and became hearing. A heart that had stopped beating for fifty years once again pounded within a boy's chest. His nose twitched as he took in a wiff of the air. Slowly a smirk made its way onto his face.

"That stench… the scent of the woman who killed me… And it's getting closer!"

His arms, stiff from lack of use, shakily crept up towards the long frayed arrow that by only the preservation of magic bound him after fifty years. He growled out in pain as the holy powers embedded in the arrow's shaft bit at his hand. He was to remain stuck until by some miracle he was released.

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Sweat poured down Nadeshiko's face as she tried to keep the demon occupied, but it was in vain. Within minutes the demon had marked the lack of the pure jewel's energy and directed her attention towards the forest. Seeing this she cursed and charged at the demon. The centipede parried her blade and caught her side in its mouth.

Nadeshiko screamed out in pain as the youkai's teeth dug into her stomach. Her icy blue eyes flashed silver as she brought a clawed hand down on the centipede tearing through the flesh in her back. By instinct the girl began released a toxic green acid that ate away at the demon's back , further destroying her already decaying body. She fell heavily to the ground as the demon released her in a howl of pain. A small almost unnoticeable black glow escaped from her torn stomach, but was quickly hidden by her rapidly mending flesh.

'The Shikon Jewel!' the old miko remarked astounded under her breath.

'How can it be? And to a hanyou, no less!' she wondered silently taking note of the youki radiating off of the wounded teen.

'Housed by two identical beings at once, and yet only detected in the body of the child with holy powers? A decoy, perhaps? Tis a mystery I have not the time to pursue at present.'

The miko was drawn out of her thoughts as the injured girl struggled to stand. Though she had dealt a devastating blow to the youkai, it was not enough to distract her crazed mind from pursuing her sister.

Blood stained her Kimono as it dripped down lazily from the hem of the kimono. Fearfully, she glanced down at her wound astonished to see the skin mending itself. Where she had expected to see a gaping hole was bubbling blood that hissed as the wounds cauterized themselves and the flesh webbing together to form pale undamaged skin.

"Well, I'll be damned!" an old man croaked taking a step back from the girl in fear.

"Hn…" Nadeshiko nervously fingered the quickly closing wound on her torso ignoring the staring and whispering that surrounded her.

"Child, were you aware that you house the Shikon Jewel in your body?" Kaede asked the girl with a furrowed brow.

Nadeshiko looked up at the woman in confusion and shook her head negative.

"Indeed, you are the guardian of the jewel, but why the jewel is within the body of a hanyou steals my interest," she looked away pensively.

"How is that possible? Both my parents are human. Kagome and I are identical twins, thus it is impossible for one to be human and the other hanyou."

"Inside your body you possess the Shikon, yet your aura is darkening by the second. When ye had first arrived I sensed darkness about you, it was not quite youkai in character, but it is definite now. You are surrounded by youki, and your powers are of the unholy kind. Ye mere appearance is that of a youkai. Look at ye claws child. Those be not of human origins" she pointed with a frown.

Nadeshiko's silver eyes widened in a mild surprise. She had felt a tingling in her hands before she had attacked the centipede demon, but she had not expected to see such long sharp claws where she had once had short dull fingernails. Coating her hand in a thin layer, was the toxic green fluid that had covered the demon in its acidic vapor while she and Kagome were attacked in the Bone Eater's Well. Closing her eyes to process the information, she sheathed her nearly forgotten sword.

She took a calming breath before slowly opening her eyes to see clawed fingers before her.

"I don't have time for this." She hissed throwing her arms down by her sides.

"I have to go help my sister. We can speak of trivial matters later, but for now… I am going to make that 'thing' wish it was never born!" she growled low in her chest before taking a final glance at the villagers behind her. With a nod from Kaede, she took off into the forest following the path of destruction left behind by the centipede demon.

'That had better have been a long enough head start, Kagome!'

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"Give me the Shikon Jewel!" the centipede demon bellowed in anger as she leapt from tree to tree trailing behind the young panicked girl.

"I don't have the jewel you weirdo!"

Sweat poured down the young girl blinding her as she ran. Her face was red and she struggled for breath as she sprinted deep into the woods towards the glowing light that indicated where the well was. She focused her mind on running as she tried to ignore the burning feeling within her legs as she abused and tore her muscles in her exertion. Bushes and shrubs stung her shins and thighs as they bit into her skin leaving red marks and blood in their place. Kagome desperately prayed she wouldn't trip over her own feet while shielding her eyes and face from the low branches of trees.

**BOOM! **With a scream the girl was hurled into the air. The missed attack by Mistress Centipede sent her hurtling through the air, arms and legs flailing around in a flapping motion.

'Somebody help me!' she cried in her thoughts.

She closed her eyes waiting for impact with the ground and gasped when instead she was grabbed mid-air.

"Daijoubu desu ka?" Nadeshiko asked her twin while landing gracefully on the ground.

Kagome's eyes opened wide as she looked up the see her sister.

"H-how did you? I was so high!" she yelled exasperated.

Nadeshiko smirked and flashed her claws at her younger sibling.

"Apparently, I am not as human as I once was.."

"That's impossible! We're twins!" Kagome huffed.

Shrugging elegantly, Nadeshiko unsheathed her katana. The woods were too quiet. There were no sounds of nature. The wind was still, the bugs silent, and the birds neither sung nor flew. Turning towards the direction which Kagome had flew from, Nadeshiko readied herself for attack.

"We can no longer run from this thing.. You are too slow." Nadeshiko stated with a quick glance towards her sister.

"Well, excuse me! Sorry if my human speed isn't enough for you. I don't know if you've noticed but I'm at a severe disadvantage here. Helloooo! Two legs versus one-hundred legs! You do the math!" she yelled bawling her hands up into fists.

"Hn… Kagome, I have not been kind to you, but I will not let any harm come to you. Assume a fighting position and stay behind me."

Pulling the pouch she had received from her grandfather earlier in the day she tossed it to her sister.

"If I fail, run and do not look back. Use the dagger inside that pouch and do NOT let that thing touch you. Blast it to hell if you have to. Just like in the well" she ordered and grew tense when a rustling was heard in the trees before them.

With a loud roar the centipede demon burst from the trees and descended upon them with a speed that Nadeshiko could not match. It was with luck that the girl was able to dodge the creature's mauls. The creatures long body, still in view of Nadeshiko, became her target. With all her might she took a swing at the youkai. A deep cut into her vertebrae left her shorter than she once was. With her plan in mind, she steadied herself.

"_Kagome, while she's distracted keep making your way to the bone eaters well. I'll lead her to you. I just have to slow her down" _Nadeshiko hissed in Chinese.

With an affirmative nod, Kagome slowly crept into the brush disappearing from view.

Seeing that her sister had done as she said, Nadeshiko began to taunt the centipede woman. Her barbs and jokes getting to the head of this crazed woman. The youkai attacked violently. Her objective was momentarily purged from her mind. With every dodge, Nadeshiko made her way deeper into the woods and in the direction that her sister went. With every blind lunge, she cut into the bones of the demon, until finally she was just a torso and two legs.

"Come on! Come at me!" Nadeshiko yelled booking it deeper into the trees. It was with relief that Nadeshiko found that her plan had come to wonderful fruition. Luckily, the centipede demon was much slower without all of her legs.

….

"Owwww!" Kagome hissed in pain as she held her injured ankle.

In her rush to make it to the well she had got her foot caught under some roots and twisted her ankle.

"This is just great! Crap!" she felt tears prickling her eyes.

A hoarse voice broke her out of her distraction.

"Hello Kikyou, you playing around with bugs now?" the white haired hanyou bit out bitterly.

"D-did you just talk!? I thought you were dead! Aren't you supposed to be under a spell?" Kagome screeched in shock.

"No shit! Why are you taking so long to kill a C rank youkai like Mistress Centipede? Can't you finish it off like you did to me?" he growled out.

"But I didn't shoot you!" she protested.

"Don't play dumb, wench. The Kikyou I know wouldn't waste her time."

Huffing angrily, she forced herself to stand. Her face scrunched up in pain as she shifted weight onto her hurt ankle. With a haughty and defiant look she all but hissed, "That does it! I'm not your dang Kikyou! Kikyou this! Kikyou that! Kikyou! Kikyou! Kikyou! Kikyou's dead you moron! I'm Kagome! Ka-go-me! You got that!?"

His ears planted themselves back against his head in sad confusion.

"Dead? But…" he inhaled deeply his eyebrows drawing together.

"You're not Kikyou…" his scowl turned into a frown.

"That's what I just told you! I'm Kagome!" the young girl crossed her arms over her chest angrily.

"Hmph! So what she's dead? You will be too unless you know how to kill Mistress Centipede." he turned up his nose at her aloof.

Her face turned green and she slowly turned to look back at the direction she came. The sound of snarls and growls snuck their way through the leaves and into her ears. She could make out the slashing of her sister's katana and the snapping of branches inching closer by the millisecond.

"Oh, no! We were supposed to meet at the well!" realization struck her a little too late.

"Keh! Well, you ain't gonna make it now, you idgit." The hanyou's ears twitched in mirth.

"You're the one who distracted me! And if you haven't noticed I hurt my ankle, you jerk." she trailed off into mutterings as she fought to grasp onto the last thread of calm that she possessed.

With determination once again in her sight, she took an experimental step towards the well. The first step was success. Deciding to follow through with another, she stepped forward with her injured foot. Sadly, not all experiments are successful, and hers ended with her yelping in pain and falling onto her arse once again.

A mildly amused chuckle irritated her condition and sent her on a fit of cursing. As she spewed her venomous words into the thick air and rubbed at her injured foot, she failed to notice the loud rustling of leaves to her left. Suddenly, though not without warning, her sister ran into the small clearing and straight into her. The end result, both of them lying sprawled on the floor with a giant centipede youkai in hot pursuit.

Now, to their benefit, Kagome was not gored through by her sister's sword, and in fact left pretty uninjured. This proved to be to her advantage as she was able to avoid being killed by the centipede demon's hungry jaws, though not without injury. By some stroke of coincidental fate she was left with a wound in the side of her stomach revealing a shiny little pink jewel which fell from within her.

Jumping into action, Nadeshiko rolled onto her feet and leapt into action. Parrying to her left, she lunged for the jewel. Her hand had barely enclosed around the jewel before she was tackled to the ground by the youkai. She gasped for air as she struggled to get air back into her lungs. She glared at the demon as its tongue wrapped around the jewel and brought it back into her mouth. With an audible gulp she swallowed the jewel whole and licked her lips in pleasure.

"The power! I feel the power!" her wicked laugh filled the air. A dark miasma encompassed her body in a cocoon of energy as her wounds were slowly being healed.

"Oh, no! She ate the jewel! What do we do?!" Kagome panicked. Her wounds were bleeding badly and had yet to cauterize. Her hand held onto her side in a futile attempt at stopping the bleeding.

"You have to stop her before she digests the jewel. You won't be able to stop her then. She'll be too powerful for you." Inuyasha informed them with a mighty fanged smile.

"No." Nadeshiko snarled standing up roughly and pointing her sword at the hanyou.

Kagome looked to her sister confusion written in her face.

"What?" she asked looking back and forth between the her sister looking ready to kill and the hanyou with the knowing grin.


	3. Chapter 2: Make a Wish

"He wants to be released from the tree." Nadeshiko stated with a scowl.

"Then let's release him. If he can help us, then we should let him go!" Kagome rationalized.

His smile grew wider and seemed to be almost painful.

"See, you heard the girl. Let me go! In a minute she'll be too strong for you, but I can kill her," his face betrayed the cocky sense of confidence he was feeling.

"No, Kagome. You heard the miko. He stole the jewel and killed Kikyou. He's not to be trusted." Her voice was cold as ice. Her black hair, tangled by the strenuous exercise and dripping with sweat, clung to her flushed face framing her frustration plainly. Her arms shook with the adrenaline coursing through her blood stream making her seem more anxious than reality.

"We don't have a choice!" her younger sister yelled as the centipede demon's long abdomen and legs snaked around the trees surrounding them.

A trampling of hooves became audible in that instant as the human villagers burst from the tree line. With bows ready, they shot at the youkai. The arrows hit their mark taking shelter within her long body. Ropes connected to their ends allowed the men to pull back with all their might hoping that they might stop the youkai from crushing the young miko and her twin to death.

"So someone did come to save me…" the young miko sighed in relief.

This short moment of respite was welcomed by both of the young twins. Nadeshiko released a breath she didn't know she had been holding and relaxed. Carefully, she wiped away the sweat on her brow and sheathed her bloodied sword.

"Keh! Don't look so relieved. She still has the jewel in her gut." the hanyou on the tree scoffed in mockery.

It seemed that it was just those few words that brought the youkai's wrath upon them yet again. Her winding body tightened quickly picking a surprised Kagome up off of the ground and pressing her against the sacred tree. She released a grunt and hissed in pain. The strength of the constriction robbed her of breath and freedom.

"Release me!" the inu hanyou growled out with a fleeting look of discomfort.

"Don't do it Kagome!" Nadeshiko yelled backing away cautiously from the long bindings which were Mistress Centipede. Her arms were now shaking dangerously and she knew she would not be of any help for a while to come.

"Yes, child. Listen to ye sister. You know not what kind of destruction ye will unleash should Inuyasha be freed from my sister's spell!" Kaede implored a safe distance away from the violently constricting form of the youkai. Her sacred arrows were weak and useless against a demon such as this and the men were tiring from fighting against the might of a youkai the size as she.

"Dammit! Shut up! Do you all wanna die? At least with me you have a chance. Once that thing stops digesting that jewel, nothings gonna stop her from eating you bastards." Inuyasha bit out in frustration.

A look of silent contemplation crossed the young girl's face. She was slowly being crushed to death. What did she have to lose from trying this?

"You talk big, but can you actually deliver?" she asked suddenly.

He spluttered for words, and found them only when the seriousness portrayed in her eyes met him.

"Keh! Yea," was his simple answer.

As the body tightened around them further almost cracking Kagome's ribs, she made her move.

"Then I choose to **live**!" she yelled out to the dismay and protests of both the villagers and her sister.

Mistress Centipede chose that moment to suffocate them, their bodies disappearing from view underneath her own. A bright pink light leaked out from the cracks of her body. Energy washed over them as Inuyasha's youki pulsed with growing power. With a violent blast of blinding light, the youkai's body was torn to bits. The hanyou, Inuyasha, tore her limb from limb and piece by piece. A shower of blood and flesh rained down upon the ground covering it in carrion.

Sitting in a pile of gore, Kagome's mouth dropped open in shock. A previously helpless Nadeshiko rushed to her side and checked her over for wounds. The villagers shouted for joy and celebrated amongst themselves, and Kaede looked on at the form of the crimson garbed hanyou pensively.

"You shouldn't have done that!" Nadeshiko whispered fiercely into her sister's ear. Her icy silver eyes lay fixed on the hanyou who would be savior of them had he not lusted after the jewel himself.

His golden eyes narrowed at the pair as he thrust out his hand.

"Gimme the jewel," he demanded.

Pulled out of her reverie, Kaede took a step between the two parties blocking them from view protectively. The clawed hands wrapped around Kagome's arms became white at the knuckles as Nadeshiko tightened the grasp on her sister. Kagome's eyes grew wide in surprise as she gasped out in surprise, "You mean, you're not the hero!?"

"Keh! Took you long enough to figure it out."

Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly in her shock.

"B-but… You saved us! You can't be the bad guy!" Kagome stuttered gracelessly.

At this he smirked and allowed himself an odd guttural chuckle. He took a step forward confidently stepping over the remains of the centipede mistress.

"I didn't save _you_ I killed the bitch who ate the sacred jewel. Now show me where it is and give it to me!"

Relief flooded the twins knowing that he needed Kagome alive to be able to find the jewel. He couldn't kill her yet. With that in mind, Nadeshiko whispered to her sister in the only secret code they had which was Chinese, "_Can you see the sacred jewel? It should be glowing. I can feel it, but I can't see it._"

Kagome's eyes wandered around the clearing discreetly. Within a few seconds she located a soft pink glow in a piece of mutilated torso across the clearing. It was by Kaede.

"_Crap. The jewel is by the old miko. We can't tell her from here; she's too far._" Kagome said to her sister her face down cast.

Nadeshiko groaned in annoyance. Today was really shitty, and she wanted it to be over.

"_That may prove to be a problem. I would try to make a break for it, but it seems that would be a most unhealthy idea._" Nadeshiko sighed.

"_I know. I really wish we had telepathy!_" Kagome stated exasperated, but unbeknownst to them at the request of pure innocent blood a wish had been made upon the jewel. A tingling feeling started within Nadeshiko's abdomen before it grew. The tingling became a prickling, the prickling a stabbing, and the stabbing a searing burn. Just as Nadeshiko was forced onto her hands and knees breathless the sensation stopped. Kagome kneeled over her sister in worry. She ignored the inu hanyou's growls and insults which grew with every passing moment and wondered for a second what was happening. Her sister had been screaming a blood curdling scream which made its way into her very bones. When her screaming stopped she panicked.

"Onee-san! What's wrong? Why were you screaming?" Kagome asked worriedly.

Those around them looked at the young girls oddly. The elder twin had not made a sound at all for the past few minutes. She had just knelt on the ground gasping for air, which was the only sign of her discomfort.

"Keh! Just my luck. The only one who can see the jewel is hearing things."

When Kagome didn't retort he growled. There was no way he was being ignored.

"Oi! Wench, don't ignore me! Find the damn jewel already before I slice you to fucking bits!" his snarls were dismissed by Kagome's obvious concern for her sister who now lay on the ground barely conscious and burning up with a fever.

'_We can't let him get the jewel! Shit! I can't get up! Why!?' _Nadeshiko thought to herself in a panic.

"What do you mean you can't get up?! How'd you get this sick so fast? What happened?" Kagome held her sister close pulling her up to a sitting position. Looking around for support, Kagome dragged Nadeshiko, which is harder than it seems, to a tree.

"How'd you? I didn't say that aloud," Nadeshiko gasped out in hoarse choppy words. She looked curiously at her sister for a few moments before her eyes widened.

"_**Child, were you aware that you house the Shikon Jewel in your body?"**_

The words that Kaede spoke echoed within her head. Theories spun within her head and a frown planted itself firmly on her lips. Kagome's eyebrows furrowed and like a light it dawned on her. She was reading her sister's thoughts. Her wish had come true. Lost in her shock, Nadeshiko was the first to notice the remains of the recently dead youkai twitching. Frantically she turned her thoughts to the body and taking the jewel back before Mistress Centipede regenerated. With a jerk of her head Kagome's eyes glazed over in quick thought before Kaede was seen leaping up in fright.

Inuyasha laughed at the old woman's expense.

"What's wrong old hag? Scared that the bad old bug will come back and eat ya?" Inuyasha asked rudely.

His attention turned back to Kagome who had stood up. She nodded at Kaede and took a step towards the dog eared boy.

"Why don't you stop being such an idiot and start looking for the god dang jewel yourself then! If you haven't noticed I'm a little busy over here. Maybe, if you had done your job proper and killed the thing like you said you would then she wouldn't be wiggling around trying to put herself back together like a freaking jigsaw puzzle!" Kagome's face was red and her finger pointed at him accusingly.

Taken aback by her attitude Inuyasha took a step back as she came closer.

"Don't yell at me like I'm an idiot! You're the one who's stupid and twisted your ankle! Look at you! Ya can't even walk straight without trippin over yourself. Bet it hurts, don't it? Why don't you come here and let me alleviate your pain!" he growled out lowly bearing his fangs. He cracked his knuckles and squat down with his claws extended.

"Oh yeah! You're gonna rip ME a new one!? Haha, I'd like to see you try baka! I'll just zap you with my pink light and see if you're still so tough!" Kagome retaliated. She really hoped that she was capable of pulling of the attack again. She wasn't quite sure she knew how to do it.

With the hanyou distracted, he did not notice the old miko carefully making her way towards a large chunk of the demon's remains. She slowly knelt before the large piece of corpse and dug through the torn flesh. The body, ceased its twitching. With the pink jewel now within her wrinkled hands, the carcass disintegrated. The meat and bones turned into ash which was blown away in a gentle breeze.

The inu hanyou lost in his anger, did not see nor hear the movement of the elderly woman. His claws sharp and poised to attack swept at the young girl before her nearly taking off her head before she ducked. She shrieked in fright and ran into the trees. His demonic attacks left large gashes deep within the ground. With her human speed, Kagome was quickly outrun. She found herself cornered on a rickety suspended bridge. The water from the river roared beneath her. The demon boy blocking her path only mocked her human weakness. His confidence increased her fear. She took a step back in retreat. _**CRACK!**_ The wooden board under her foot cracked. She watched as the shattered piece fell into the river and was violently swept away. Her eyes widened in realization that she truly was trapped. The bridge was too old and brittle to risk another step back.

Her mind, lost in the roaring of the river, was brought back by the yelling of the village men. Behind her, and away from the bridge stood the village men and her sister among them. Her arms were wrapped around the shoulders of two of the younger men serving as her support. Kaede stood next to her, prayer beads held within her hand. Her eyes were closed in prayer as the beads began to shake and glow with holy light. Without warning, the beads flew speedily towards the inu. They gathered in the form of a rosary around his neck. He yelped in surprise and tried to tear them from his person, but they only glowed stronger with every attempt.

"Kagome, you must use the word of restraint, child!" Kaede instructed.

Confusion rattled her brain as she struggled to understand what the old miko had said.

Pictures of scrolls she had never seen before began to pop up in her head. She witnessed Kaede's training and the instruction of her elder sister Kikyou as she taught her about subjugation. Comprehension filled her suddenly.

Looking back at Kaede, smiled and turned to Inuyasha with a mischievous grin.

"Inuyasha!" she yelled.

His ears perked up and his shoulders straightened.

"SIT BOY!" she ordered. A _manly_ cry of pain left the hanyou's mouth as he fell face first into the bridge below him.

Kagome clapped her hands in excitement and resisted the urge to do a little victory dance.

"That was so cool! Haha, lemme do it again! SIT BOY!" she cried happily.

A scream followed by the crack that broke the bridge met her ears. Inuyasha fell through the wooden bridge and was swept away by the river's rapids.

"Well, he won't be bothering us anytime soon." She stated proudly, turning to look at her sister with a large grin.

Nadeshiko rolled her eyes, as Kagome skipped towards her.

"You're insufferable." Nadeshiko sighed in annoyance.

"Indeed, she be an odd one." the man to her left sweat dropped.

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**Hey, hope you enjoyed everything so far. Sorry this chapter wasn't very long, but bear with me. Anyway, thank you for reading. Please follow or review. Ciao!**


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